A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
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A depressed Charlie Brown attempts to direct a neighborhood Christmas play and finds the true meaning of the holiday through a small, humble tree.
The story
Despite the cheerful holiday season, Charlie Brown feels depressed and visits Lucy Van Pelt's psychiatric booth. Lucy suggests he direct the neighborhood's annual Christmas play to get involved. Charlie Brown accepts, but becomes increasingly discouraged by the commercialization of the holiday as he prepares for rehearsals. He struggles to manage an uncooperative cast and a lack of proper holiday spirit. Seeking a more authentic mood, he decides the play needs a real Christmas tree, leading him and Linus to a tree lot where he selects a small, puny sapling.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Charlie Brown confesses his holiday depression to Linus Van Pelt, who encourages him to take action. Lucy Van Pelt suggests he direct the neighborhood Christmas play, a task he accepts despite his growing dismay at the holiday's commercialization. During rehearsals, Charlie Brown struggles with a lively, uncooperative cast and a lack of traditional atmosphere. He decides the production needs a real tree and, with Linus, selects a small sapling from a lot. The other children mock his choice, leaving him crestfallen. Linus delivers a moving speech about the true meaning of Christmas, reciting the annunciation to the shepherds. Inspired, Charlie Brown takes the tree home to decorate it. The other children, moved by Linus's words, follow him. They help decorate the tree using ornaments from Snoopy's doghouse. After a large ornament causes the tree to bend, Linus supports it with his security blanket. The children eventually join in singing 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing' as snow begins to fall, and they all celebrate with Charlie Brown.
- First release year
- 1965
- Runtime (minutes)
- 25
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Writers
- Charles M. Schulz · writer
- Cast and characters
- Peter Robbins · Charlie Brown; Christopher Shea · Linus Van Pelt; Tracy Stratford · Lucy Van Pelt; Kathy Steinberg · Sally Brown; Chris Doran · Schroeder and Shermy; Geoffrey Orstein · Pig-Pen; Sally Dryer · Violet; Ann Altieri · Frieda
- Genres
- Christmas; Family; Comedy
- Themes
- True meaning of Christmas; Anti-commercialism; Religion
- Premise and plot tags
- Animated Special; Holiday; Family Comedy
- Source material / true-story basis
- Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz
- Franchise connections
- Peanuts
- Reception
- The special received high ratings and critical acclaim despite initial fears of failure. It became a holiday staple and won an Emmy and a Peabody Award.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 86% · review count: 21
- Awards and nominations
- Emmy Award · Outstanding Children's Program · 1966 · Win
- Production trivia
- It was the first time children voiced animated characters.; The special was produced on a small budget of $76,000-$96,000.; The jazz soundtrack sold five million copies in the US.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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